1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bulb socket.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-217768 discloses an L-shaped bulb socket. The L-shaped bulb socket has first and second openings. The first opening is a connector accommodating portion for accommodating a power-supply side connector and the second opening is a bulb accommodating portion for accommodating a bulb. The first and second openings extend in directions substantially normal to each other. Separate bulb terminals and connector terminals are accommodated in the L-shaped bulb socket for connection respectively with the bulb and the connector. The separate bulb terminals and connector terminals are assembled in a socket main body, and ends of these terminals are connected together at a coupling to define an L-shape. With this design, a bulb connecting portion is higher by as much as the coupling and the socket has been bulky.
Further, the separate bulb terminals and connector terminals require an increased number of assembling steps, a danger of deforming the terminals due to wrenching as the terminals are assembled, and an increased number of parts, which leads to a poor yield and a higher production cost.
The present invention was developed in view of the above problems and one object thereof is to provide a smaller or shorter bulb socket.